“Energy efficiency has a major role to play in boosting energy security, cutting fuel bills and tackling climate change. The UK Government must wake up to its potential and push for the introduction of bold and binding targets, instead of blocking them at every turn.

“Comprehensive and urgent efforts are also needed to harness the EU’s substantial home-grown renewable energy potential, which would create tens of thousands of new jobs.

“But investing tax-payers money in new fossil fuel infrastructure, that will produce carbon we can’t afford to burn if we’re to meet our climate targets, will be the greatest waste of EU money since the wine lakes and butter mountains.”